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170 | Uncollected and Other Poems The Purpose Serene she sat, full grown in human power, Established in the service of the world, Full-hearted, rich, strong with the age’s life, Wise with the womanhood of centuries, With broad still brown and deep eyes lit beneath With fire of inextinguishable love, In beauty which the study of a life Would fail to measure—beauty as of hills Or the heart-stilling wonder of the sea. Then came her lovers, awed and passionate, With naught to offer that she had not more Save only—manhood. Lovers made by God To order to her final power of choice Their natural tribute of diverging gifts, The man’s inherent variance of growth, That she, by choosing, build a better race. Theirs the resistless longing to fulfill Their nature’s primal law at any cost, The one great purpose of their parted life; Love their first cause, love their determined end. So she, from ardent emulous appeal, After the inner ruling of her heart Chose him of all best mated to herself, Best qualified to glorify The Child— For this was she made woman—not for him. (Woman’s Journal, 12 March 1904, 82) Missing the Way It is so dark! I must have lost my way! It is so difficult and strange and steep— Rock upon rock, rank marsh, black waters deep— Far from the path that should have been I stray. No, friend, not lost at all—this is the way. It’s not all pleasant, we are quite aware, But most of us, just now must travel alone, And our worst trouble is the fear to stray. In blessed truth we cannot really stray; Whatever comes is Life; and the strong soul Finds in its living a continued goal— All makes for growing—growing is the way. (Woman’s Journal, 26 March 1904, 98) ...

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